The written remarks also warned against what the pope termed “brain rot” caused by constant social media scrolling, calling for greater media literacy.

Pope Francis is taking the highly unusual decision to dissolve an influential Catholic group from Peru which has been plagued by allegations of abuse from within its community, including allegations related to its founder,

Constantly in the public eye, Pope Francis is instantly recognisable across the globe, and his likeness adorns t-shirts, mugs, calendars, bookmarks, medals and jewellery, among other things. Too conservative for some, not conservative enough for others, he is the face of the modern Catholic Church.

One of Francis’ lasting reforms will be his reshaping of the papacy to embrace simplicity and humility. In his new autobiography, “Hope,” he shows remarkable openness about his own failings.

Pope Francis is not expected to veto President Donald Trump's choice of a high-profile critic of his papacy as the next U.S. ambassador to the Holy See, according to two senior Vatican officials, despite misgivings about his stance on many issues.

Pope Francis and Donald Trump's border czar Tom Homan engaged in a verbal sparring match as US President Donald Trump launched his promised deportation drive. This comes after the pope voiced his displeasure of the intention to deport millions of illegal immigrants.

The celebration on Jan. 25 marked the solemn conclusion of this year’s Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, which the Pope linked to the ongoing Jubilee Year.

Francis is also in a unique position, in that he follows two popes who had a more conservative view of what Vatican II represented. In Catholic theological terms, St. Pope John Paul II and Benedict came from the Communio school, which very much put the Council in a more direct relationship with the Church before the Council.

Trump's 'border czar' Tom Homan absolutely nuked the Pope, who tried to weigh in on the immigration policies of the United States.

Pope Francis denounced an era of "disinformation and polarisation" on Friday in a message for World Communications Day, as he criticised powerful social networks creating "fanaticism and even hatred".

"Each time a pope takes ill, the winds of a conclave always feel as if they are blowing," Francis writes in his new memoir, referring to centuries-old tradition of cardinals gathering in the pope's official residence, the Sistine Chapel, after a pontiff's death to elect the next.

More than 3,000 Italians participated in the survey carried out in January, expressing their opinion on the challenges facing the Church and their assessment of the pope.